Introduction to Palaeography

Introduction to PalaeographyIntroduction to PalaeographyTuesday 6/24, 11-13

From Bologna to the Blogosphere.A History of Written Correspondence’ Summer School

June 23rd - July 4th 2014

Maddalena Modesti

The Palaeography studies:

• the history of handwriting in its different stages

• the techniques applied to writing in different eras

• the production process of written evidences

• the products of this process

Tasks of Palaeography:

• interpret mss.• dating mss. • locate mss.• trace from their physical

appearance all the elements useful for the study of their content and, in general, for cultural history.

As Many Palaeographies as many Scriptures

Greek Arabic

Hebrew Armenian

Latin Palaeography

7th cent. b.C.

16th cent. a.C.

De re diplomatica

Birth of Palaeography

dom Jean Mabillon

1681

1750-1765 dom Toustain and dom TassinNouveau Traité de Diplomatique 

1708Bernard de Montfaucon Palaeographia Graeca

1765

De antiquorum codicum interpretatione et dispositione

The Blogosphere

Rustic capital Insular Majuscule Merovingian chancery script

Uncial

Humanistic cursiveLitterae caelestes

Italian chancery minuscule

Bologna, Archive of the Fabbriceria of S. Petronio, l. 353 n. 3, 7th sec., fragm. Agostino – De civitate Dei, upper script

Bologna, Archive of the Fabbriceria of S. Petronio, l. 353 n. 3, 7th sec., fragm. Agostino – De civitate Dei, particular of the lower script.

Rome, Biblioteca Angelica, ms. 123, Gradual, Troper, Sequence, 11th sec., ll. 31r e 101r.

Volumen

Roll (papyrus, parchment)

CodexCode (parchment, paper)

II-IV cent. a.C

Nonantola, Archive of the Abbey, III n. 30, Pavia – March 4th, 899, placito, particular of the handwritten signatures.

Nonantola, Archive of the Abbey, II n. 11, April-August 21th, 828, particular of the handwritten signatures.

Arezzo, Archivio Capitolare, Canonica n. 23, Colonia – [September] 876, imperial diploma of Charles the Bald

Changes in the signs are always signs of change

Malcolm B. Parkes

Bologna, Biblioteca Universitaria, ms. 2226, XIV sec. – Institutiones cum glossis, c. 16r

Modena, State Archive, Casa e Stato 1 n. 3, Pavia – June 8th, 781, Imperial diploma of Charlemagne

Bologna, State Archive, Suppressed Religious Corporations, S. Giovanni in Monte 2/1342 n. 27, church of S. Giovanni in M. – February 1133, contract of enfiteusi, notary: Angelo I

Bologna, State Archive, Uff. dei Rif. degli estimi, s. II b. 25 n. 14, 1296-97, cedola of estimo in vernacular